Part 2:
Sunday, 12 February 2006
Clarify: In the second tumor picture, the large, separated area at the bottom of the skull, getting closer to the neck, is NOT the tumor. Frank is the black spot up higher. Just to be clear.
Family here. Ian in good spirits. God has granted the two of us His perfect peace. Ian's dad arrives tomorrow. Family meeting with the surgeon on Tuesday (after golf, weather permitting). Valentine's day night out on the town (or at least at a restaurant), while Audrey plays with the family at Chuck E Cheese. They have NO idea what they're getting into, but I'm ok with that. Haha.
Friends - amazing. Church today was just more affirmation of God's design for the fellowship of the Body of Christ. The elders did an annointing and lots of people made a point to wish their wishes to Ian and to me. I have a fistfull of phone numbers of "if you need ANYTHING, and I mean ANYTHING, you CALL me" people. And we would have certainly been innundated had we attended one of the more-attended services. Ian was excited; he's famous and made the first line of the prayer requests in the bulletin.
I think I have at least 10 states, that I know of, in the prayer chain, as well as Iraq, Japan and France. I have I think 8 congregations praying that I can recall; some random scrapbookers over the internet have added us to THEIR church prayer lists... the love is outpouring.
I imagine I will not likely update this until after the surgery. Those of you who don't particularly know me, but read my blog, shall have to wait for news until I get myself back here. But if you're really desparate for information, you can click on Allistusse or ListentoKristen in my subscriptions, and they should be able to fill you in.
The morning we found out, God had me in Psalms 5:3 (In the morning, oh Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation). The other morning, he gave me the sweet gift of a renewed perspective on 2 Corinthians 1: 3-11: (with apologies to the inevitable copyright issues in quoting scripture from the NIV)
"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. For just as the sufferings of Christ flow into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows. If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it si for your comfort, which producs in you patience endurance of hte same sufferings we suffer. And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so you also share in our comfort." [...]
"But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. He has delivered us from such a deadily peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us, as you help us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our behaf for hte gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many."
Amen.
